Preparing future Frontline Managers at a leading Australian University

Posted On May 15, 2017

Driver For Change

As part of its staff-development activity, the University Library introduced a program by which nominated team leaders and coordinators identified as potential future leaders were to be given the opportunity to participate in the nationally recognised Certificate IV in Frontline Management qualification. The program’s twin goals were to (a) link the accredited qualification to the University’s strategic plan and (b) embed key management principles and practices in their environment.

What MCI Delivered

In keeping with MCI’s approach of combining relevant, engaging training techniques with practical projects so that learning is easily transferred to the workplace, MCI’s solution to the University’s leadership need was based on two components:

1. Certificate IV in Frontline Management Program

Training was centred on ten units of competence relevant to the qualification requirement and specific to the objectives of the University. Delivered in six, related skill clusters to groups limited to 15 participants to enhance the learning experience, training was conducted monthly at the University over an six-month period. MCI facilitators tailored the program using individual and group activities, projects, scenarios, case studies and role plays, while materials supplied by MCI included participant workbooks, handouts and pre-course work for each learning cluster as well as a student handbook containing relevant information needed for successful completion of the program. Additionally, practical assessments designed by MCI included both project- and action-based assessments focused on putting learning into action.

2. Facilitated Management Workshop

This was designed to ensure the qualification—and, importantly, a shared leadership vision—was embedded with senior University staff. Comprising two half-day workshops, outputs from the Certificate were directly linked to the University’s workplace. Management principles and practices emphasised included expectations of leadership, accountability, internal and external stakeholders, professional standards and workplace coaching. A formal report was also provided for each workshop.

Business Impact

The Certificate IV in Frontline Management program allowed the University to embed its key management principles and practices while offering participants the opportunity to achieve an accredited qualification. At the time of this writing, the assessment completion rate has remained strong, almost half of the participants have already received their qualification and a majority of the remaining participants are more than half-way through completing their BSB40807 qualification.